Protests have rocked Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) as residents accuse Army Chief General Asim Munir of peddling pipe dreams of wealth from underground minerals while the military tightens its hold on the area’s resources. A scathing report reveals Islamabad’s shift towards economic centralization, viewing the region more as a military outpost than a development hub.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) promised transformation but delivered disappointment. Now, Munir touts a plan to exploit $6 trillion in rare minerals from PoGB and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, positioning it as Pakistan’s ticket out of crisis. However, experts see through the rhetoric, pointing to a pattern of military encroachment and peripheral neglect.
The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), billed as an economic savior, is in fact amplifying army influence over mining and energy. Key moves include the April 2025 Mining and Mineral Amendment Act, which handed federal—read military—control over mining rights, sidelining provincial bodies. Earlier, the August 2024 amendments to PoGB Mining Concession Rules further diminished local authority, sparking outrage across the region.
The tipping point came in Shigar Valley in April 2025, where the K-2 Action Committee mobilized thousands in historic demonstrations. Slogans like ‘No to Occupation on Occupation’ echoed the crowd’s fury over long-standing exploitation. This wasn’t merely about mining policies; it symbolized resistance against political erasure and resource plundering.
As military oversight intensifies, PoGB’s people are left questioning whether Munir’s visions will ever materialize or if they’ll remain tools for central power consolidation. The protests signal a growing call for genuine autonomy and fair resource sharing.
